WBZ-FM
This article is about radio stations during their time as WBZ-FM. For 98.5 in Boston before WBZ-FM in 2009, see WBMX-FM. For 106.7 in Boston after WBZ-FM in 1981, see WMJX WBZ-FM is a sports radio station known as "98.5 The Sports Hub" & broadcasting on 98.5 MHz in Boston, Massachusetts. Owned by CBS Radio, the current WBZ-FM began on August 13, 2009 & competes with AM sports talk stations WEEI & the ESPN Radio pair of WAMG & WLLH. WBZ-FM is home to the Boston Bruins & the New England Patriots. WBZ-FM has been the callsign of 3 broadcast stations in Boston, Massachusetts since 1943, all associated with Westinghouse Broadcasting/CBS Radio: 1 from 1943-1952; 1 from 1956-1981 (which became WMJX) & the new format from August 2009, which uses the frequency of the old WROR/WBMX (FM). Callsign timeline * 1943: W67B @ 46.7 MHz becomes the first WBZ-FM * 1946: WBZ-FM moves to 100.7 MHz * 1947: WBZ-FM moves to 92.9 MHz * 1952: First WBZ-FM goes off the air * 1956: 106.7 goes on the air as the second WBZ-FM * 1981: 106.7 sold; 106.7 drops WBZ-FM callsign to become WMJX * 2009: 98.5 drops WBMX-FM callsign to become the third WBZ-FM First WBZ-FM Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, 1 of the pioneers of radio in America, established experimental shortwave FM station W1XK. By 1936, it was operating as a "relay broadcasting station" on 9.57 MHz (31.33 meters wavelength) @ 10 kilowatts. Westinghouse received the station's commercial license, W67B, on February 25, 1942. On March 29, the station began broadcasting with 10 kilowatts @ 46.7 MHz in the original FM band. When the FCC modified FM callsigns to the modern format on November 1 1943, W67B became WBZ-FM. The frequency first changed to 100.7 MHz when FM broadcasting in the U.S. was moved to it's current frequency band in 1946, then changed to 92.9 MHz in 1947. This WBZ-FM was a simulcast of WBZ (AM). The vacated 100.7 MHz allocation was assigned to WCOP-FM, a simulcast of WCOP (AM) (now WWDJ), in 1948; that station eventually became WZLX. Westinghouse got out of FM broadcasting for a period starting in 1952. Second WBZ-FM: 106.7 The 106.7 frequency in Boston, Massachusetts was first used as WBZ-FM & was owned by Westinghouse (later Group W). The station's earliest format was a classical music format & later evolved into a combination simulcast of WBZ (AM) during the morning, with the classical music @ other times. On December 31 1971, when the station changed to a rock format, as “WBZ-FM, Stereo 106.7... All Hits, all the time!” On December 31 1971, WBZ-FM became a rock music station as "Rockin' Stereo 106.7", programming mostly Top-40 with some album cuts. Although automated, it featured voice-tracked announcing from Clark Smidt (who also programmed the station) & Ken Shelton. For a time in the mid-1970s, WBZ-FM was Boston's second most popular Top-40 station, only trailing WRKO in popularity. In 1975, both Smidt & Shelton left to join WCOZ, which was changing formats from beautiful-music to album-oriented rock. By 1979, WBZ-FM had drifted into an automated album oriented rock format itself, which remained in place through 1981. During the years as a rock station, WBZ-FM also simulcast the hourly newscasts from sister station WBZ (AM), the commercial spots on which were the only commercials heard on the FM side. In 1981, WBZ-FM was sold to Greater Media, becoming that company's first Boston station. Under the new ownership, the station signed off for a couple of weeks @ the very end of 1981. Before signing back on as "Magic" in January 1982 with the call letters WMJX, the station installed a new transmitter & raised the height of the antenna on the WBZ tower. A few years later the transmission equipment was relocated to the Prudential Tower, giving 106.7 a great signal in downtown Boston. Third WBZ-FM: 98.5 *For 98.5 before WBZ-FM, see WBMX (FM) In July 2009, CBS Radio announced that it would re-introduce WBZ-FM as a sports radio station named "98.5 The Sports Hub" @ 1 PM on August 13, moving the existing Hot AC 98.5 WBMX to 104.1 as "Mix 104" on August 12 & the existing active rock 104.1 WBCN to HD Radio subchannel 2 on the new 98.5, removing it from analog. The callsign WBZ-FM was assigned to the station on August 5, 2009 Shows New England Patriots games & Boston Bruins games will move to WBZ-FM. The Toucher & Rich Show & New England Patriots games are coming from WBCN. Weekdays *''The Toucher & Rich Show'' **This show airs from 6-10 AM. The hosts are Fred Toucher, Rich Shertenlieb & Chris "Crash" Clark. Jon Wallach reads Sports headlines *''Tanguay & Zolak'' **Gary Tanguay & former New England Patriots quarterback Scott Zolak hosts. The show airs from 10 AM-2 PM *''Felger & Massarotti'' **Michael Felger & Tony Massarotti hosts & challenging WEEI's The Big Show. The show airs from 2-6 PM. Mark Bertrand reads sports headlines *''The D.A. Show'' **Damon Amendolara came from Miami to host the evening show from 6-11 PM Weekends *''Hardy & Trupiano'' **airs from 8 AM-12 PM on Saturday & 10 AM-2 PM on Sunday *''Holden Kushner'' **Holden Kushner hosts from 12-4 PM on Saturday *''The D.A. Show'' **Damon Amendolara hosts from 4-8 PM on Saturday & 2-7 PM on Sunday New England Patriots coverage New England Patriots pre & post game are hosted by Gary Tanguay, Scott Zolak & Andy Gresh. Gil Santos & Gino Cappelletti will continue to handle the play-by-play duties. Boston Bruins coverage Boston Bruins coverage are featured by Dave Goucher as the play-by-play man & Bob Beers handling the color commentary. Personalties from The Sports Hub era *Fred Toucher *Rich Shertenlieb *Chris Clark *Gary Tanguay *Scott Zolak *Michael Felger *Tony Massarotti *Damon Amendolara *Jon Wallach *Marc Bertrand *Andy Gresh *Gil Santos *Gino Cappelletti *Dave Goucher *Bob Beers *Chuck Perks *Jerry Trupiano *Holden Kushner External links *WBZ-FM 98.5 The Sports Hub's Website